BENGALURU: Vayyalikaval Police have arrested D Kempanna, the President of the Karnataka state unit of the Contractors’ Association, who has recently levelled allegations against the state Horticulture and Planning Minister Munirathna Naidu charging that the minister demanded 40 per cent commission in contractual works. Kempanna along with four others have been arrested by Police in response to the defamation case filed by the minister and release on bail later.
Following the allegations, Minister Munirathna filed a 50 crore defamation case against Kempanna. A non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against him after the defamation case was filed by the Minister.
The 8th ACMM Court issued a non-bailable warrant against Kempanna on December 19 following which the Police arrested him. A total of five members of the contractors’ association have been arrested along with four office-bearers.
Nataraj, the Treasurer of the Contractors Association, Gurusiddappa, the Joint Secretary of the Association, and Krishna Reddy the Vice President of the Association are the three other office bearers who were arrested along with Kempanna. All of them had directly accused the state government minister of demanding a 40 percent commission.
Kempanna had also written a letter to the Prime Minister saying that the state government ministers have demanded a 40 percent commission in contractual works. Besides, the contractors of Bengaluru city and BBMP have alleged that the BBMP demands 50 percent commission from the contractors.
Munirathna said that he had filed a criminal defamation case against 18 people who are with Kempanna.
“You cannot evade the law by making false allegations without documents. Don’t write a letter to the Prime Minister just to be famous. If there is a document, release it and bring the officers and politicians who got the commission into the open. A judicial inquiry cannot be conducted as soon as an application is filed. If there is a proper document, let him release it,” said an angry Muniratna.
Kempanna had said that they will be submitting all the documents to the court. (ANI)